Psalms & Agpeya - Week 2: Wednesday

Psalm 50 (51):1-5, 12, 13

For the End; a psalm by David; when Nathan the prophet came to him, at the time he went in to Bathsheba.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your great mercy; And according to the abundance of Your compassion, blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from my lawlessness And cleanse me from my sin. For I know my lawlessness, And my sin is always before me… Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence; and do not remove Your Holy Spirit from me.

St. Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms (Psalm 51)

Hear therefore these words, and say thou with him: "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your great mercy;" (ver. 1). He that implores great mercy, confesses great misery. Let them seek a little mercy of You, that have sinned in ignorance: “Have mergy," he says, "upon me, according to Your great mercy." Relieve a deep wound after Your great healing. Deep is what I have, but in the Almighty I take refuge. Of my own so deadly wound I should despair, unless I could find so great a Physician.